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Processing time

We will review your application to ensure the form is complete and we have received all supporting documents. We will notify you if there are outstanding or additional documents or information required. We do not start assessing applications until the form is complete and we have received all supporting documents.

The Board or its delegate carefully assesses your application and all supporting documents before making a decision on each application to ensure fair and consistent assessment of applications. This means that the assessment process takes time and the unique circumstances of your application will determine how long it takes us to advise you of the outcome.

Wherever possible, we aim to complete the assessment of an application from an overseas qualified applicant within eight to ten weeks of receipt of all required documents. Estimates of processing times can only be given for complete applications (i.e. where we have received all required documents). Processing times for incomplete applications are dependent on how quickly we receive any outstanding documents and may be considerably longer than the standard processing times.

You can help avoid unnecessary delays in processing your application by:

making sure your application form is complete. (A complete application is one that has met all requirements in the checklist outlined in the AGOS-86)

making sure you include ALL supporting documents that we need with your application form

Application process

If you are concerned about the status of your application, contact AHPRA directly. The customer service team can access information about the progress of your application to give status updates without the need to speak to registration officers. Please bear in mind we may not always have new information for you.

Once received, your application will be assigned to a registration officer, who will contact you if there are any outstanding documents relating to your application.

Once you have provided all necessary documents, your application will be reviewed and assessed.

Note: You will be given 30 days to provide any outstanding documents .

If we do not receive this information within the timeframe stated in the notice we will assume that you have withdrawn your application and will close it.

We appreciate it can take time to gather the required documents. If you anticipate any delay in sending us the additional information, you may ask your registration officer for additional time to provide the required information.

When we assess your application, we will consider all your qualifications, as long as they are related to practice of acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine or Chinese herbal dispensing (or equivalent profession in the country where you completed your studies). We recommend you provide the required supporting documents for all your qualifications with your application.

We will review the documents you submit with your application and prepare papers for consideration by the Board or its delegate when they consider your application. We will contact you if there are any outstanding or additional documents or information required to complete the assessment.

As in stage 1, if there are outstanding documents that we need to review your application, we will request the additional information and give you 30 days to provide it. If we do not receive a response in this timeframe, we will close your application.
We appreciate it can take time to gather the required information. If you anticipate any delay in sending us the additional information, you may ask your registration officer for additional time to provide the required information.

Please note certificates of attendance at professional development activities and conferences are not qualifications under the National Law.

After we assess your qualifications, we may require you to pass an examination before the Board or its delegate can decide the outcome of your application for registration. If this occurs we will send you a letter advising you of this requirement with information about the examination and how to apply to sit the examination. You can only sit the examination in Australia.

Registration

If you are granted registration, we will inform you by email. For applicants currently living overseas who cannot meet the local ID requirements a letter of ‘in principle’ approval of registration will also be sent.

All other outcomes

If the Board proposes to refuse your application, we will send you a letter communicating the proposed decision on your application and the reasons for the decision.

You can make a submission to the Board about the proposal within 30 days of receiving the communication. Submissions allow applicants to present any additional information or supporting documents that can be considered in making a final decision.

If you do not make a submission, the Board may uphold its decision after the 30 day period has concluded and the decision will become final.

If you do not agree with the final decision of the Board, you have the right to appeal the decision and take your case to a tribunal for a decision.

How to lodge an appeal

This information is for overseas applicants who would like to find out about how to appeal a Board decision on registration. None of its content is intended to be, or should be, taken as legal advice from the Board, AHPRA or any related body.

It is important that you obtain independent legal advice to inform any decision you choose to make based on the information that we provide.

Where to appeal

Your principal place of practice (PPP) or residential address in Australia will determine your responsible tribunal - i.e. where you should lodge your appeal. If your residential address is not within Australia, your responsible tribunal is based in South Australia.

When to lodge your appeal

As a general rule, you should lodge an application to appeal the Board’s decision within 28 days of the date that the decision was made. However, we strongly recommend that you contact the responsible tribunal to directly confirm the specific timeframe.

Costs

The responsible tribunal may make an order about costs. This may result in an order to the international applicant to pay the Board’s costs as well as their own costs, or the reverse.